Steve Hall, Lecturer in Advertising for the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois, has been named the 2015 American Advertising Federation (AAF) Distinguished Advertising Educator.

On January 13, 2015, College of Media Career Services hosted an event in Chicago - Connecting Students & Alumni in the Windy City. The day was filled with panel discussions and advice on careers, networking and more.

‘Doing it all: An exploratory study of predictors of media multitasking’, published in Journal of Interactive Advertising has been included in an online article collection featuring the most downloaded articles published in Routledge Social Sciences journals in 2014.

Those video ads playing in the corner of your computer screen, in the midst of your multitasking, may have more impact than you realize. They may be as effective as the ads you’re really watching, such as those during the Super Bowl, says a University of Illinois researcher.

Associate Dean Julian Parrott and academic advisor Trent Nelson presented a poster session on their recent research study at the National Academic Advising Association’s National Conference in Minneapolis.

Peter Sheldon, lecturer in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, has received the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Distinguished Teaching Award in the Advertising Division.

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) is a nonprofit, educational association of journalism and mass communication educators, students and media professionals. The annual conference, held this year in Montréal, will feature a number of papers and discussion with College of Media professors and students.

Dr. Jacquie Hitchon has joined the College of Media as professor and head of the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising. Hitchon received her B.A. and M.A. from Oxford University and her MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin where she has been on faculty since that time.

The College of Media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and WTVP, Public Media for Central Illinois, announce today that Maurice “Moss” Bresnahan will join the teams at WILL and WTVP. He will serve as President and CEO of both entities starting in September, 2014.

Jeremy Hobson, former WILL staffer and current co-host of WBUR/NPR’s Boston-based weekday news program Here & Now, returns to Urbana to live host the program from WILL’s studios at Campbell Hall for Public Telecommunication on Monday, July 14.

Jessica Leach, director of career services for the College of Media, was recently recognized by Eastern Illinois University with the College of Education and Professional Studies Alumni Rising Star Award

Forty-six students from the College of Media have met the qualifications for membership in the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Phi Kappa Phi is the only national honor society that is fully multidisciplinary and that opens its membership to all branches of learning.

The Departments of Computer Science and Advertising at the University Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. Hari Sundaram as an Associate Professor for a joint faculty position in Computational Advertising.

During the Polar Vortex of January 2014, 16 students and three faculty made their way to O’Hare airport (where eager young intern Peter Sheldon was waiting with boarding passes) to depart for the “Advertising Industry” course immersion in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. After a change in temperature of more than 115 degrees, the group was ready to shed their parkas and learn from alumni and friends of the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising in various areas of the advertising industry.

Can the experience of "being" a heroic or villainous avatar nudge people toward uncharacteristic behavior later on, in real life?
ICR student Gunwoo Yoon and Associate Professor of Advertising Patrick Vargas explore the possibility through a couple of simple experiments.

In light of the current discussions across campus—and the nation—regarding hateful expression, we believe it is imperative that the College of Media reaffirm our unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive, multicultural, and hostility-free environment in our campus community.

Associate Dean Julian Parrott recently presented on issues around academic advising to a high-level group of visiting deans and faculty, approximately 14 individuals from King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia.

The new documentary “Life Itself,” about the life of Roger Ebert, will be one of the 12 films shown at this year’s Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, or “Ebertfest,” coming April 23-27 to Champaign and Urbana, Ill.

Associate Professor Michelle Nelson and Assistant Professor John Wirtz received a $21,000 grant from the Family Resiliency Center (FRC) and the Christopher Family Foundation Food and Family program to raise awareness about the value of family meal times.

An article written by John G. Wirtz, assistant professor in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, was selected as one of the top articles appearing in "Public Relations Journal" in 2012-13.

The College of Media seeks an outstanding scholar with a demonstrated commitment to excellence in research and teaching on digital media. This is a tenured 9-month academic year joint appointment that requires interdisciplinary collaboration as well as the ability to teach across two units – advertising and journalism.

If you are passionate about advertising strategy and ready to teach it at one of the top advertising departments in the world, the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising is looking for you. We invite applications and nominations for a full- time, non-tenure track position at the rank of Lecturer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This is a 12-month appointment with a proposed start date of January 16, 2014 or August 16, 2014. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Gunwoo Yoon, PhD student in the College of Media, has been accepted to the Behavioral Science Summer Workshop at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. The workshop will be held in August on the Harvard Kennedy School Campus. Application to the program is competitive with only a third of applicants accepted.

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) is a nonprofit, educational association of journalism and mass communication educators, students and media professionals. The annual conference, held this year in Washington, D.C. will feature a number of papers and discussion with College of Media professors and students.

The College of Media administers Media University in order to introduce high school students to the many facets of advertising, media and journalism as viable college major and career choices through hands-on learning activities.

Advertising professors Michelle Nelson and Patrick Vargas have recently had papers published in The Journal of Advertising - the premier academic publication covering significant intellectual development pertaining to advertising theories and their relationship with practice.

A new local WILL-TV special, Ebert Remembered, airing at 8 pm Thursday, April 18, will highlight excerpts of WILL-TV interviews with Roger Ebert in which he talks about his childhood in Urbana, his experience at the University of Illinois and his role as a movie critic.

All of us at Ebertfest are very saddened by the news of our dear friend Rogers passing. He was a remarkable man who influenced journalists and film lovers the world over. The 15th annual Roger Eberts Film Festival will take place as scheduled April 17-21.

hree additional guests and the schedule of film-related panel discussions have been announced for the 15th annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival, also known as Ebertfest, taking place April 17-21 at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign and at the University of Illinois.

The Illinois chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) sponsored a networking trip to Chicago on Friday, March 29. Fourteen PRSSA members visited the public relations departments of the Chicago Bulls and The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, as well as Zeno Group, a mid-sized PR agency based in Chicago.

Congratulations, admitted students to the Class of 2017, on your admission to the University of Illinois! Many of you may have already signed, sealed and delivered your decision to join us on campus next fall.

The College of Media is pleased to announce the recent gift of $25,000 from the McDonalds Corporation designated for the Paul Schrage-McDonalds Corporation Graduate Fellowship in Advertising. This fellowship supports graduate students studying advertising in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising in the College of Media.

The 15th Annual Roger Eberts Film Festival has received a 2013 film festival grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The festival, also known as Ebertfest, will receive $20,000 to help pay costs associated with question and answer sessions and panel discussionsboth signature components of the festival.

The Illinois Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Committee provided seed funding to facilitate a multi-disciplinary research initiative that focuses on consumers.That funding is supporting the Consumer Sciences Initiative (CSI).

We seek an outstanding scholar, innovator, and teacher of digital, mobile or emerging media to join our faculty in the College of Media. This is a tenured 9-month academic year joint appointment where interdisciplinary work and collaboration are highly encouraged; ability to teach across two or more units in the College is required.

The American Advertising Federation (AAF) has announced the Most Promising Minority Students Class of 2013. Four students from the College of Media were named to the class; one was named to the Honor Roll.

Ron Bess, former Illini and president of Havas Worldwide North America, was the College of Medias Illini Comeback guest Oct. 26. Bess spoke to Media students and faculty about his path into the world of advertising, the importance of keeping digital, and how students can make themselves marketable to a potential employer.

Luke Sullivan, author of Hey Whipple, Squeeze This; The Classic Guide to Creating Great Advertising, winner of 20+ One Show pencils, chair of the Department of Advertising at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and recently named as one of the fifteen most Important Advertising Strategy Thinkers as ranked by influence visited the Charles H. Sandage School of Advertising on October 8th. The following are the reflections of advertising senior Hannah Ryan on Sullivans presentation entitled Leveraging Cultural Tension to Improve Creativity.

Dr. Brittany Duff, Assistant Professor of Advertising, Institute of Communications Research, along with Tiffany Barnett White, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Bruce and Anne Strohm Faculty Fellow, and Alejandro Llerasm Associate Professor of Psychology, Beckman Institute, were granted a $2,000 grant from the Provost's Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Committee for their proposal for a Social and Consumer Psychology Research Brownbag Series.

With the 77th Annual Foundation Meeting & Weekend kicking off in just a few days, we wanted to send a friendly reminder.
In case you find yourself unable to join us in person during this Fridays Business Meeting (from 911am in Krannert Center), be sure to join us via webcast.

Each year since 1980, the Student Alumni Ambassadors of the University of Illinois Alumni Association invite a group of distinguished alumni back to the campus to participate in traditional activities such as the Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally. These alumni honorees also interact with current students and talk about their professional experiences since leaving their Alma Mater.

Mark Leonard, General Manager of WILL Radio, TV and Online, has been named to the board of the Public Media Business Association (PMBA) the national organization for business, management and financial issues of public media.

College of Media will be tailgating and alumni are invited! We will have a small tent in Lot 32 just west of the Assembly Hall. If youre back for a football game be sure to stop by, have a snack and hear about whats happening in the College of Media.

Construction in Gregory Hall this summer will temporarily relocate some faculty and staff. Before you visit someone at Gregory Hall, please contact him or her by phone or e-mail to determine his or her location.
Thanks!

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) will hold its annual conference August 8 12 in Chicago. The College of Media is well represented by faculty and graduate students participating through the presentation of papers, panel discussions and more.

On June 28 the AAF Mosaic Alumni & Friends Association celebrated with a launch party at the WIT in Chicago. Three alumni serve on the executive board: Ashley McGowan 07 ADV, Jessica Jones 10 ADV, and Nicole Mitchell 10 ADV.

A group of fourteen executives from HS Ad, an agency in Seoul, South Korea, arrived in Champaign on July 21 for a Professional Advertising Certificate at Illinois. Representatives from account management, account planning, public relations, and media will learn from University of Illinois faculty and industry professionals over the course of one and a half weeks.

DDB Bootcamp is a structured 2.5 day intensive program for current students who want to have an agency experience and networking opportunities, usually those going into their junior or senior year of college.

On Friday, March 16th, 10 freshmen participating in the College of Medias James Scholar program had the opportunity to visit with either Energy BBDO or the Chicago Tribune/WGN as part of a career immersion day.

A group of students from various disciplines, led by assistant professor of journalism Charles Stretch Ledford in the Journalism independent study class JOUR460, launched a mobile app for the Illini baseball team this week. It is the first app to be developed by the College of Media.

Gina Cavato has been named a 2012 AAF Stickell Intern - selected as the most outstanding member of the University of Illinois student chapter of the American Advertising Federation, and one of the top 15 AAF students in the United States.

Newsflash from the American Academy of Advertising conference in Myrtle Beach, SC: Brittany Duff and Ron Faber were awarded Best Paper for the Journal of Advertising in 2011 for their article Missing the Mark: Advertising Avoidance and Distractor Devaluation.
Congratulations!

Mediapalooza was held on Saturday, March 10. The event, for fall 2012 admitted freshmen, gave students and their families the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a student in the College of Media.

When should you write thank you notes after an interview? When should you follow up with potential employers? Is it okay to ask about your salary during a job interview? Should you order the chicken sandwich or go for that expensive steak at a company-funded dinner? How should you behave at company meetings? These were just a few of the questions addressed by keynote speaker Brad Karsh at this year's Senior Saturday Seminar.

College of Media alumni returned to Champaign on Saturday, Feb. 25 to give career advice to the class of 2012. Seniors and fellow undergraduates spent the afternoon in career panels asking alumni about professionalism, how to act in an interview, and networking tips. Panelists represented college major divisions in advertising, journalism, agricultural communications, and media and cinema studies.

Students filed into the Greg Hall auditorium Friday Feb. 24 for expert advice at the College of Media Resume Workshop. The presenter, Brad Karsh, is a resume expert and the author of Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insiders Guide to Landing Your First Job. Karsh said hes very experienced with evaluating college students after spending 15 years at Leo Burnett Advertising in Chicago. As a recruiting director there he read over 10,000 resumes and interviewed over 1,000 college students.

Four University of Illinois students were recognized as Most Promising Minority Students by the AAF at a recent three-day immersion experience in New York City. The students were nominated by their professors and selected by a group of industry professionals.

You can NEVER be too prepared for the job market. Especially now, when you will have to work harder to get a job. You just need to show why you should be hired over others. You need a competitive advantage. You need to stand out. You need to look better on paper than every other applicant. You need more than just a strong portfolio.

That's why you should attend the College of Media Senior Saturday Career Seminar, February 25, 2012.

Senior Saturday gives you advice you won't get anywhere else and gives you the chance to talk with professionals -- one-on-one -- who really care about helping you.

This is not a job fair. This is not your typical career advice. This is specially designed for journalism, advertising, and media and cinema studies students. By attending this seminar, you will be ready to successfully jumpstart your career.

Featured Speaker: Brad Karsh is the President and Founder of JobBound, a company dedicated to helping students prepare for the job search and life after college. An industry expert on breaking into the job market, Karsh is the author of "Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider’s Guide to LandingYour First Job." Brad has been featured on CNN’s Paula Zahn Now, CNN Headline News, CNBC, and he has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and many others.

Brad Karsh will be here to share two presentations:

"The Insider Secrets To Interviewing Success" and "What They Don't Teach You in College: Business Etiquette Tips for the Real World"

Professionals, including alumni of the College, will participate on informative panels and share what their industries are like and how to land a job. There will be a networking session for you to meet those who have successful careers. This is the PERFECT time to get one-on-one advice from top professionals in YOUR industry.

Tony Petullo, 61, has been a generous donor to a number of units across campus. His interests have included the library, the leadership center, Fine and Applied Arts and the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising.

Digital Bootcamp is a new, exciting two-day workshop hosted by the College of Media. College students interested in journalism, advertising, media content creation and design in the new digital media landscape can explore the newest tools in digital media in sessions led by top industry practitioners.

Digital Bootcamp will also include a keynote address – Building Your Brand Online – which will address the importance of and best practices in building your own brand using the latest social media and digital tools. The program will conclude with a panel on future careers in the new digital media landscape. By the end of the workshop, students will know how to develop their digital brand and digital portfolio using various functions of WordPress.

Digital Bootcamp will be held March 30 – 31, 2012 at the University Center in Chicago. Program details and registration for the program can be found at http://go.illinois.edu/digitalbootcamp

The College of Media hosted a reception to honor its 66 December 2011 graduates. More than 100 people, including the graduates, their family members and friends, and College faculty and staff gathered at Campbell Hall for Public Telecommunication to celebrate this important milestone.

Interim Dean Jan Slater welcomed guests and congratulated the graduates, encouraging them that their hard work in the College will serve them well in all their future endeavors. Parents and friends expressed their excitement for their graduates’ accomplishments and enjoyed meeting many of the College’s faculty, advisors and staff. Photos of the event…

We congratulate these talented College of Media graduates and wish them much success. We invite all alumni to stay connected to the College by updating us with news and contact information on the University of Illinois Alumni Online Directory.

Carol Hillsman Sagers (BS’ 79 ADV), Founder and Consultant, CHS Marketing Consultants, has been named a 2012 Chicago Illini of Year by the University of Illinois Alumni Association. The award, cosponsored by the UIAA and the Chicago Illini Club, was created in 1997 to recognize the accomplishments of Chicago-area graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Three distinguished alumni who live and work in Chicago or one of its suburbs are honored each year, and the selection is based primarily on overall career achievement, positive impact on the Chicago community, and demonstrated interest in the University. For more information...

Advertising alumnus Ron Bess (MS ’72) received the 2011 Silver Medal Award presented by the Chicago Advertising Federation (CAF). Bess is President and COO of Euro RSCG North America and CEO of Euro RSCG Chicago. "CAF is thrilled to honor Ron Bess as this year's Silver Medal recipient," said Anne Rago, Managing Director Business Development, Novus, Silver Medal Co-Chair. "Ron has strong passion, commitment and vision for the Chicago ad community. Ron is a key supporter of the Off the Street Club and he has helped create a stronger link between the CAF and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's) to more fully unite the Chicago ad community." For more information….

Dr. Jan Slater, current Interim Dean of the College of Media, will continue as Interim Dean through the 2012-2013 academic year. Dr. Slater was the Head of the Department of Advertising prior to bringing her expertise and leadership skills to this new role in the college in 2010. For more information, please see this article.

Sean Powers, content specialist and visiting on-air host for Illinois Public Media, has been selected to attend the Knight Digital Media Center’s 2011 Digital Storytelling workshop. Sean is one of 20 participants selected to attend. For more information...

Chris Benson, associate dean of the College of Media and associate professor of Journalism and African American Studies, was honored with the 2011 Larine Y. Cowen Make A Difference Award on Nov 10. The award, presented by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, recognizes dedication to promoting diversity and the inclusion of all students on campus. “This is a major campus award and really speaks to the College's commitment on issues of diversity and inclusion, as well as the value of multiple perspectives in our work. It certainly spotlights Chris’ work that is often behind the scenes.” said Jan Slater, interim dean of the College of Media. “Although you never really think about recognition when you set out to do what you can’t help doing,” Benson said, “It is, indeed, a high honor just to have my name associated with Larine Cowan. She inspired so much positive change throughout her career and moved me to want to do more—especially through my work in media—to enlighten and transform.” This is the second year in a row that College of Media leadership has been recognized for its commitment to diversity. Last year, Professor Emeritus Bill Berry, and former interim head of the Department of Advertising, was honored.

Brittany Deterding, who received her B.S. in Advertising and minor in Informatics, is featured on the Illinois Informatics Institute Alumni Spotlight. The profile highlights her time in the College of Media, internship experiences, and advice to current students. More information…

Retired from the College of Media since May, 26-year office administrator Nickie Dalton is trying hard not to continue operating under the delusion she is on: The Longest Vacation Ever. Dalton said it’s difficult, after working in the College of Media for two decades (it was the College of Communications when she first started), to start each day from scratch.She said she misses the contact she had with alumni.“There are some amazing alumni and they’re always there for the college,” she said. “Media alumni are just great.” For more on this story...

Our Chicago Alumni Board hosted its annual alumni reunion on Oct 20 at Rock Bottom Brewery. We were pleased to have a record number of alumni present. "The College of Media has a strong alumni network in Chicago and the reunion provides the perfect setting to reconnect with alums and faculty. I enjoyed catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, as well as getting the scoop on what's happening on campus" said Monica Heckman, ADV '05 Photos of the event...

From executive producers to agency account directors, AdWeek Illinois had it all this year. Names like Digitas, ABC, and Leo Burnett sent students into a frenzy to polish their resumes, research companies to a point of memorization and, of course, to always network, network, network!

The week of October 3-6 was an exciting time for students as they heard from Rick Kaplan, executive producer of ABC’s “This Week with Christiane Amanpour,” a myriad of Digitas associates discussing what it was like working in a top agency, Dennis Culloton, who spoke about PR crisis management, and finally, how our very own alumni became CEOs and higher level management of their respective companies.

Not only did our guests give students a great deal of advice, but they were all willing to network, pass out their business cards, and make connections here for future leads.

AdWeek could not have happened had it not been for our amazing alumni, everyone in the department as well as the College, and we thank each and every one of them for their continuous energy and support.

Festival passes will go on sale Nov. 1 for the 14th annual Roger Eberts Film Festival, or Ebertfest, to be held April 25-29 at the Virginia Theater in Champaign, Ill., and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The festival will feature films selected by Ebert that he believes have been overlooked by audiences, critics or distributors.

The passes, which cover all 12 screenings during the five-day event, are $135, plus $2 each for processing. They can be purchased starting Nov. 1 through the festival website, the Virginia Theater website, or the theaters box office (217-356-9063).

Tickets for individual films will be available April 4. Admission is $13 ($11 for students and seniors).

A thousand festival passes will be available. In recent years, the passes have sold out within one or two months, according to Mary Susan Britt, festival associate director.

Ebert, a U. of I. journalism graduate, adjunct professor and Pulitzer Prize-winner, will again host the event, along with his wife, Chaz Hammelsmith Ebert.

The lineup of films, along with additional information on film-associated guests and other festival events, will be announced several weeks before the festival. Updates on the festival, an event of Illinois College of Media, will be posted on the festival website.

Sponsors and volunteers for the festival are being sought. Those interested should get in touch with Britt at 217-244-0552, or by e-mail.

College of Media alumni, Ryan G. Baker and Paul Schrage, were invited to return to campus as Illini Comeback guests, a program that honors prominent and accomplished alumni. Their time on campus included visits with students, faculty and staff in conjunction with the University-wide homecoming activities. For more information on our 2011 Comeback guests...

The second annual TEDxUIllinois conference brought in a range of accomplished and acclaimed speakers to explore topics such as the future of journalism, the worldwide race to create the perfect battery, building a “smarter” Chicago, threats to the freedom of the Internet, and how a pair of traditional institutions — C-SPAN and Major League Baseball — have reinvented themselves online. For those who were unable to attend, videos for many of the sessions are available online.

Advertising and Agricultural Communications Professor Katie Abrams is on a team that was recently awarded a $598,616 grant from the Department of Agriculture Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program. Abrams is a co-principal investigator leading the project in Illinois. The three-year project will equip beginning farmers and ranchers with the knowledge of and ability to use online marketing tools to make informed marketing decisions to promote their agricultural operations. It is a multiinstitutional grant with agricultural communications faculty from Texas Tech University (lead institution) and the University of Georgia. Read the USDA announcement:

Matt Doherty, ’08 ADV, will be featured on a panel of “young rising stars” during Advertising Week in New York. Led by top executives at Ogilvy, the panel will discuss the newest advertising talent, Gen Y and its inspirations, why advertising, and more. For more information…

The Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising is sponsoring Advertising Week October 3-7 on the University of Illinois’ Urbana campus. The week coincides with Advertising Week in New York City, which is the world’s premier annual gathering of marketing and communications leaders. Since 2008 the advertising department has been holding its own Advertising Week on the Illinois campus. The event is free and open to the public. Each session will be held in Room 66 Library from 5-6 p.m.

** Monday Oct. 3, Rick Kaplan, the executive producer of This Week with Christiane Amanpour and Director of Political Coverage, ABC News, will discuss the importance of advertising in the news media and how changes in the media landscape have altered the dynamics of advertising in the news.

** Tuesday Oct. 4, Digitas, a top global integrated brand agency, will be on campus to discuss digital advertising, as well as life in an advertising agency.

** Wednesday Oct. 5, Dennis Culloton, CEO of Culloton Strategies, will discuss the importance of and best practices in crisis communications for Public Relations Day.

** The week’s events will conclude with an alumni panel on Thursday, Oct. 6. The Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising will welcome back some of the most successful alumni as they discuss careers in the exciting field of advertising. These are just the biggest events. There are others throughout the week.

The 2011 Homecoming Court will include four seniors from the College of Media. Advertising undergraduate Drew Harris will join Journalism undergraduates Caroline Pahl, Chloe Pistorius, and Spencer Turkin as they take part in the 2011 Homecoming festivities. For more information…

On Aug. 19, approximately 100 College of Media freshmen and off-campus transfer students met to welcome in the new school year. All incoming students were invited to Meet Media the Friday before classes started to hear from the Dean, get acquainted with their new classmates, and be introduced to professors in their new major.

The College of Media welcomed its fourth class of 169 freshmen to campus for the 2011-2012 academic year.

The University of Illinois Alumni Association has announced this year's Illini Comeback guests. The program began in 1980 to honor prominent and accomplished alumni. Guests are invited to return to campus and interact with students, staff, and faculty through formal programs, classroom visits, and social activities held at Homecoming. The program is coordinated by the Student Alumni Ambassadors and sponsored by the UI Alumni Association.

Ryan G. Baker ’91 MEDIA is an Emmy-nominated sports reporter and is currently the sports director and lead sports anchor for WBBM-TV/CBS 2 in Chicago. He previously worked at WMAQ-TV/NBC 5 in Chicago, where he hosted “Sports Sunday” and the Chicago Bears pre- and post-game shows; at WKMG-TV in Orlando, Fla., where he was twice voted “Best Sportscaster” by Orlando Magazine; at KFMB-TV in San Diego; and at WCIA-TV and WICD-TV in Champaign.

Paul Schrage ’59 MEDIA is retired senior executive vice president and chief marketing officer of McDonald's Corp. In 1967, he established the company’s marketing department and introduced its famous Golden Arches logo. He is credited with spearheading many of the fast-food giant’s other key innovations, including drive-through service, breakfast, play areas for children, extra-value meals and creation of signature clown character Ronald McDonald. The University of Illinois honored him with the Alumni Achievement Award in 2003.

Gene A. Wallace (ADV BS '54/ M.S. '59) has been named Managing Director-Investment Banking for Barrier Advisors in Dallas, Texas. He has nearly 30 years of investment banking and corporate finance experience and advises companies on mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt placements, and specialty finance transactions across a broad range of industries. Barrier is an affiliate of Highland Capital Management. Highland is an international money manager with $22 billion in assets under management. During his time in the College, Mr. Wallace was also Senior Class President in 1954.

The College of Media has received a curriculum development seed grant from the Illinois Informatics Institute to support a new project focusing on integrating digital media education as a foundation throughout the college’s academic programs.

Faculty members from the College of Media are headed to St. Louis in August to attend the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) annual conference. Several professors and graduate students are presenting papers, and a few are being honored with awards.

This past month, the College launched the inaugural AdCamp, a two-week summer program for high school students that taught them about a career in advertising. Hosted by the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising and the American Advertising Federation, the program accommodated 41 high school students in lectures, industry immersion, and hands-on projects. [PHOTOS]

The inaugural AdCamp Chicago program for high school seniors and juniors launched this week with lectures at the Illini Center from John Starkey, senior marketing director Wrigley, and Jan Slater, interim dean of the College of Media, as well as a tour of Hall & Partners to learn about research.

Brittany Duff, assistant professor of advertising, has co-written the article "Missing the Mark: Advertising Avoidance and Distractor Devaluation" with University of Minnesota Advertising Professor Ronald Faber for the Summer 2011 issue of the Journal of Advertising.

More than 50 alumni, faculty, and friends gathered in Chicago at the annual Summer Kickoff for New Graduates and Alumni. The event is held each year as a networking and social opportunity for recent graduates to chat with alumni about jobs, catch up on what has been happening on campus, and to meet new friends. (PHOTOS)

5/16/2011Photos by Ray Victor writer Photos by Ray Victor by Photos by Ray Victor published by Photos by Ray Victor

The College of Media celebrated its graduates with a convocation ceremony on Saturday, May 14 at Huff Hall on the Urbana campus. With family and friends to encourage them, more than 350 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral students crossed the stage to get their diplomas. (PHOTOS)

Philanthropic support from our alumni really does make a difference. Currently, only 5.5% of our alumni (626 out of 11,381) have made a gift to the College this year. The College of Media’s fundraising priorities are developed around keeping our students’ success at the heart of everything we do. From scholarships and awards, to industry internships and networking, we strive to create a learning environment that prepares them for today’s media careers. At the height of all the excitement, fanfare and focus on our amazing graduates, it would mean a great deal to us, but especially to the students if you would partner with us to support their hard work, accomplishments, and career opportunities. Fiscal Year-End Gifts received by June 30th would be most appreciated. Visit media.illinois.edu/give.

The College of Media Convocation Ceremonies kick off Saturday, May 14, at 1:30 p.m. at Huff Hall on the Urbana Campus. More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students will be celebrated for their accomplishments. Journalism alumnus Tim McAuliff will serve as this year's convocation speaker, and Advertising graduate Eddie Revis will deliver the student speech. Parent, family, and friends are welcome. For more information, visit media.illinois.edu/current/convocation.

A College of Media student-run marketing agency, Intuition Advertising, received praise from Chevrolet after successfully executing an integrated marketing campaign to increase awareness of the Chevy models, Camaro, Cruze and Equinox on the Urbana campus. (PHOTOS)

Michelle Nelson, associate professor of advertising, partnered her graduate students in ADV585 Advertising Management Planning with the Family Resiliency Center to help evaluate the effectiveness of two "Mealtime Minutes" Public Service Announcements.

IMPULSE Magazine, a student-produced lifestyle and society magazine, launched in April on the University of Illinois campus. The publication features student achievements, sports, politics, a food review, and even the latest fashion trends of the season. Katerina Bizios, a junior in journalism, is a main impulse behind IMPULSE Magazine. Building a team to launch a magazine was a challenge easily met by this College of Media student. She sought help from other Media students, Louise Zhang ’12 ADV, Melissa Michalak ’12 JOURN, Allison Bulow’11 ADV, among many others to put it all together.

Los Angeles Times (April 29) — “The royal wedding legitimizes luxury and reinforces the princess myth,” says Cele Otnes, professor of advertising and marketing. “We get to have a piece of that myth, whether we consume it vicariously by watching it on TV, getting a knockoff gown or modeling our wedding after it.”

The University of Illinois’s 50-year agricultural communications program is stronger than ever as a result of its joint affiliation with the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and the College of Media, approved recently at the colleges’ request by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

On April 2, 2011, the University of Illinois Alice Campbell Alumni Center on the Urbana campus filled with proud students, parents, and teachers. The College of Media hosted its annual Honors Reception to present awards and scholarships to students to recognize their leadership and creativity. (PHOTOS)

The College of Media hosted its second annual Mediapalooza event Saturday, March 12, welcoming the admitted students. Mediapalooza is an opportunity for admitted students to explore life in the College. They learn about majors, interact with faculty and current students, and work on a hands-on project.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A restored silent classic, “Metropolis,” will open the 13th annual Roger Ebert’s Film Festival or “Ebertfest,” coming April 27 to May 1 to Champaign-Urbana. A documentary about Chicago’s “Louder Than a Bomb” youth poetry slam will close it.

The Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is seeking applications for a full-time tenure track position (all ranks) in a growing and nationally recognized program at a world-class university. Candidates for this position should be potential leaders in their field. In addition, they should have professional expertise in one or more of the following areas: strategy, planning, research, media, digital media, creative work or management from within an advertising or public relations agency or from a related industry. Full consideration will be given to applications received by September 15, 2011.

The application deadline for AdCamp, a Chicago-based program for high school students created by the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising and the American Advertising Federation, has been extended to April 1. AdCamp, set for June 2011, will allow students in grades 9 through 12 to experience workshops, client and agency trips and real world projects. Industry sponsors including Leo Burnett, Wrigley, General Mills and Google, will be helping to deliver the content of the camp and supply the projects. More info about the camp can be found at http://aaf.org/adcamp or by emailing Rhiannon Clifton at rclifton@illinois.edu.

Dean’s lists for the 2010 fall semester have been announced by eight colleges and another academic unit at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Among the 6,371 students honored, 147 were College of Media students. Dean’s list eligibility is limited to the top 20 percent of a student’s college class or curriculum. To be eligible for the Dean’s list recognition, students must complete at least 14 academic semester hours taken for letter grade. Download the Media list (Excel).

Rhiannon Clifton '00 ADV, instructor and program director in the Department of Advertising, has been named the first winner of Champaign's Athena Young Professional Award, given to an "emerging leader" between the ages of 25 and 35. The award is sponsored by past winners of the Athena Award. It was presented at the Athena Award luncheon held Thursday at the Champaign Country Club.

Mary Frances Fagan ’76 ADV/’83 MA PUBLIC AFFAIRS/UIS was honored as one of this year's Chicago Illini of the Year at a special event held Tuesday, February 15 at the University Club of Chicago. The University of Illinois Alumni Association and the Chicago Illini Club sponsor this annual award and event. Fagan directs media and public relations activities at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and at facilities in the Northeast, Midwest and Canada, and serves as the airline’s executive producer during onsite filming of motion picture and television shows. Read more...

Some applicants use creativity to try to stand out in a stack of resumes. Brad Karsh, president and founder of JobBound and keynote speaker at Saturday's College of Media Senior Saturday Career Seminar, warns not to get too creative. In his energetic talk about resume dos and don'ts, he recalled a few stand-out non-traditional resumes: one on construction paper sprinkled with glitter and another on purple paper with pink ink.

Karsh spoke to about 100 students in Greg Hall as part of Senior Saturday. In addition to Karsh's talk, the career seminar includes alumni panels and one-on-one interviews for students to ask questions of alumni. (PHOTOS and VIDEO)

Katie Abrams, visiting assistant professor of agricultural communications in the Department of Advertising, has been awarded a $4,000 grant award as part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences' (ACES) Competitive Multi-State Planning Grant program. The monies will help facilitate the planning and writing of a federal grant proposal.

Rhiannon Clifton, program director in the Department of Advertising, received a grant from the University of Illinois' Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership to develop a new Advertising course, Entrepreneurial Media.

If you’re enthusiastic, innovative and motivated to make an impact while on campus, College of Media Student Ambassador Program is for you! College of Media Student Ambassadors (SA), a student-run group through the College of Media, is seeking applications now.

The Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising at Illinois, in partnership with the American Advertising Federation, will launch AdCamp in downtown Chicago, June 20 – July 1, 2011. AdCamp is going to be a unique opportunity for high school students (10th – 12th graders) to explore the advertising industry and the variety of exciting careers it has to offer. Read more...

Cele Otnes, professor of business administration and advertising, and Mary Ann McGrath, a marketing professor at Loyola University of Chicago, identified what they called the “Grab and Go” as the No. 1 stereotype in a study of male shoppers. While some men employ it, the “Grab and Go” actually isn’t as prevalent as people may think, according to Otnes and McGrath. The researchers found more instances in which men searched, browsed and bargain-hunted during their shopping trips.

Carol Hillsman Sagers’79 MEDIA, founder and consultant of CHS Marketing Consultants, has been named a 2012 Chicago Illini of Year by the University of Illinois Alumni Association. The award, cosponsored by the UIAA and the Chicago Illini Club, was created in 1997 to recognize the accomplishments of Chicago-area graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Three distinguished alumni who live and work in Chicago or one of its suburbs are honored each year, and the selection is based primarily on overall career achievement, positive impact on the Chicago community, and demonstrated interest in the University.

The high winds and blowing snow did little to deter family members who traveled to campus to celebrate at the College of Media December Graduation Reception on Dec. 12. Held in Campbell Hall for Public Telecommunication, the reception brought together graduates and their families as well as faculty and staff of the College. (PHOTOS)

The Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising is proud to announce that six advertising students were named finalists in the 2011 American Advertising Federations' Most Promising Minority Students Program (MPMSP), and three advertising students were named to the AAF’s MPMSP Honor Roll.

The College of Media at Illinois presents the 13th Annual Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, April 27- May 1, 2011. Festival Passes ($135) on sale now at www.ebertfest.com or in Champaign at the Bresnan Meeting Center.

Technology provides a new, instant platform for human connection, and businesses have tapped into this connection to reach consumers, according to Mary Kay Haben ’77 BUS, president of Wrigley North America. (PHOTOS)

Candidates are invited to submit applications for two faculty positions in the College. The Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising is seeking applicants for a full-time tenure-track associate or full professor. The Department of Journalism seeks applicants for a newly created assistant professor position in digital/online/multimedia journalism.

Alumni and faculty gather in Chicago for annual reunion

10/8/2010

The Chicago Alumni Board hosted its annual alumni reunion at Rock Bottom Brewery in Chicago on Thursday. Alumni gathered to network, catch up, and meet other College of Media graduates. "The reunion is a longstanding College tradition that I always look forward to attending every year," said Bruce Miller '90 ADV. "You can catch up with former classmates and faculty and make new friends as well."

Board member Kim Brun '93/'94 MS ADV described the annual event as "a great way to engage with fellow College of Media alumni and stay abreast of what's going on down on campus in a fun casual setting."

UI Alumni Association seeks alumni volunteers for 2010 iHelp

10/8/2010

As Homecoming 2010 approaches, the UI Alumni Association and Student Alumni Ambassadors look forward to another successful iHelp. Now in its fifth year, this campuswide tradition is a great way to build Illini spirit here in C-U and beyond. Sign up online!

AdWeek at Illinois provides students with valuable tips for successful careers

A different form of learning took place the week of Sept. 27-30. Professors were not lecturing in the front of the room, but were actually sitting in the audience. Upperclassmen Advertising students, alumni, and professionals were in charge discussing the career opportunities in the real world of advertising. This four-day event, known as Advertising Week at Illinois offered a new topic each night so that students got a variety of information about the industry. Interim Dean Dr. Jan Slater brought AdWeek to the College of Media, modelling it after the Advertising Week event that occurs annually in New York City. This year marks the fourth AdWeek at Illinois. Read more and view photos...

UI Public Affairs featured Media faculty and staff in communications seminar

10/1/2010

The University of Illinois' Office of Public Affairs featured College of Media faculty and staff in its recent communications seminar Brand U: 2010. Cele Otnes, professor of advertising and business administration, and Sharon Shavitt, research professor in the Institute of Communications Research took part in a panel discussion about brand value, product differentiation and the role of marketing in higher education. Kate Brickman, program coordinator for UI-7, presented a Pecha Kucha-style talk on the evolution of the campus cable television station. Watch the presentation...

Message from Interim Dean Jan Slater

9/10/2010

Jan Slater, professor of advertising and alumna of the College of Media, was named the Interim Dean of the College in August 2010. In a message to alumni, students, faculty, and staff, she talks about the opportunities and challenges of the coming year.Read entire message...

Three new professors join College faculty

9/10/2010

Three new faculty members joined the College of Media in August. Welcome to these new scholars!

8/21/2010Photos by Ray Victor writer Photos by Ray Victor by Photos by Ray Victor published by Photos by Ray Victor

The Department of Advertising hosted orientations for new undergraduate and graduate students as part of the College's Meet Media event on August 20. Freshmen were welcomed by Advertising faculty and current students. Graduate students were welcomed by Michelle Nelson, director of graduate studies. The orientation covered expectations and a few items from the Graduate Handbook. Students got "the real scoop" on the program, the University, and Champaign-Urbana.

Advertising department head Jan Slater named college interim dean for two-year term

7/8/2010

Professor Jan Slater, department head of advertising, has been named Interim Dean of the College of Media for a two-year term extending through summer 2012, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, according to an announcement from Richard Wheeler, vice chancellor for academic affairs (interim), to faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the College. "Jan Slater brings exceptional credentials to this position," said Wheeler in his email to the College community. "Her superb work as department head in the Department of Advertising has, in just a few years, helped restore integrity and national prominence to the department."

Wheeler also thanked Professor of Journalism Walt Harrington for his service as Interim Dean over the past year. Read entire message...

Advertising professor talks about rituals and target audience

7/8/2010

Chicago Sun-Times (July 8) -- Singing "Happy Birthday" to customers in a restaurant might create a good impression on some, but it can leave others embarrassed, even resentful, says a new U. of I. study. "Not all customers want to be entertained," said Cele Otnes, affiliate professor of advertising and professor of business administration. "Some just want to escape and be left alone. So the bottom line here is that businesses really need to consider their target audience before creating rituals that are effectively forced on people." Read entire article...

Advertising professor earns grant for research in children and branding literacy

6/28/2010

Michelle Nelson '97 PhD COMM, associate professor of advertising, is part of a research team whose proposal, "Timmy has new Skechers…", has been selected for the 2010 Mass Communication and Society Research Award. Nelson and her colleagues will accept the awards funds at the 2010 Mass Communication and Society Division Member’s Meeting to be held in Denver in August.

"The grant will allow me to pursue new, important research related to children and advertising and branding literacy," said Nelson. "We're also challenging existing views and methods with respect to the way that parents and children use brands and communicate about brands."

The Sixth Annual International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry wrapped up after three days of workshops, lectures, conversations, and social events. Attracting more than 1,300 scholars from more than 50 nations, the Congress is well-respected for its wide variety of topics and community-building across disciplines. The more than 250 conference sessions were preceded by three all-day pre-Congress language sessions in Spanish, Japanese, and Turkish. A preconference event for Qualitative Health policy issues was also well attended. This year the Qualitative Inquiry Special Interest Group of the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction held its sessions in conjunction with the Congress.

Norm Denzin, Congress chair and professor of communications, advertising, sociology, and cinema studies, was lauded for his scholarship in the field and leadership in organizing the Congress.

Natalee Popadiuk, assistant professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University in Canada, said of Denzin, "Because of the work you and others have done before me, I have the liberty and privilege of only choosing to support students in conducting qualitative research."

The Congress was co-sponsored by the College of Media, the Institute of Communications Research, and the Department of Advertising, along with more than 30 campus units and external organizations.

New York alumni club honors Bill Geist with Big Apple Award

5/27/2010

The Metro New York Illini Club will honor Bill Geist '68 ADV, Emmy Award-winning correspondent and commentator for CBS News, with their Big Apple Illini of the Year award. The Illini Club will host their annual meeting and dinner to bestow the award June 15, at Club 101 in New York City. Geist has been a correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning since he joined CBS News in 1987. The two-time Emmy Award winner has lent his unique brand of storytelling to many television shows, publications, and Web sites, including CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes II, Rolling Stone, Forbes, Esquire, The New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune. The best-selling author of seven books received the 2009 Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Illinois Alumni Association and in 2005 the University awarded Geist with an honorary degree. Geist was born in Champaign and graduated from Champaign Central High School. He and his wife, Jody Geist, '68 MEDIA have two children. All are welcome at the event. Buy tickets for the dinner...

Bill Geist '68 ADV an Emmy Award-winning correspondent and commentator for CBS News, and style guru Charla Krupp '75 JOURN both presented at the University of Illinois' Biennial Conference for Women held May 19-20 on the Urbana campus. The longest running conference for women in the nation, the Biennial Conference draws women from all over the country. Attendees represent virtually all life paths. More information...

Three Advertising students recognized on UI Senior 100 list for achievements in undergraduate education

5/2/2010

Three Advertising students — Diana Blickensderfer '10 ADV, Courtney Gilles '10 ADV, and Cynthia Panganiban '09 ADV — were named to the 2010 Senior 100 list by the Student Alumni Ambassadors and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. The list recognizes students for outstanding achievements in leadership, academics, and campus involvement throughout their undergraduate education.

Cinda Cornstubble, a program administrative assistant in Advertising, was honored among the eight UI staff employees with the Chancellor’s Distinguished Staff Award at a banquet April 13. The award recognizes exceptional performance; each recipient receives $2,000 and a plaque. Recipients’ names also are engraved on a plaque displayed in the Staff Human Resources Office.

Cornstubble has been at the University since 1977 and in the Department of Advertising for 16 years. She directs all of the department’s study abroad programs and is working to develop more. She supervises the student advisory team, organizes the department’s annual Advertising Week, advises graduate students, oversees graduate admissions, administers Senior Saturday, arranges for all guest speakers and visitors, and supervised the two-day Sandage Symposium last fall that celebrated the department’s 50th anniversary.

“I trust her and depend on her immensely,” said Jan Slater, head of the Department of Advertising. “She is at the forefront of all activities and bears a great deal of responsibility in bringing them to successful fruition. She is a resourceful, creative and solution-oriented person and is highly respected by all.”

Jack Klues '77 ADV, managing partner of VivaKi, was named the Media Professional of the Year 2010 at the International Festival of Media in Valencia, Spain. This award, given for the first time this year, was announced to celebrate the talents, skills, and professionalism of an individual working in the global media industry in the previous 12 months. Klues was among a shortlist garnered through public nominations and included Barry Cupples, CEO Asia Pacific, Omnicom Media Group; Maria Luisa Francoli, Global CEO, MPG; Amir Jahangir, Former CEO, Samaa TV; Antonio Lucio, CMO, VISA; Tyler Moebius, CEO Adconion; Rani Raad, SVP Ad Sales, CNN International; Babs Rangaiah, VP Global Communications, Unilever; and Mauricio Sabogal, WW Managing Director, Initiative.

The award was announced at the award gala, which also included various other global awards for best practices in communication and media. More than 20 winning categories were announced, including Best Communications Strategy, Best Targeted Campaign, Award for Media Bravery, Best Use of Content and the Best Use of Mobile.

The festival, now in its fourth year, is a two-day conference with leading industry speakers, an exhibition of new media opportunities, and a global awards ceremony showcasing the best creative media thinking, and unrivaled networking opportunities.

CBS producer Rick Kaplan speaks on media fracture and the future of young journalists

4/20/2010Photos by Ray Victor writer Photos by Ray Victor by Photos by Ray Victor published by Photos by Ray Victor

Daily Illini (April 19) — Rick Kaplan, executive producer of CBS Evening News with Katie Couric and University alumnus, spoke to students on the topic of change in not only broadcast news and advertising, but also media in general.

The event was sponsored by the department of advertising. Jan Slater, department of advertising head, said Kaplan has been coming to the University for 17 years. His goal with these speeches is to educate and inform, with an emphasis towards journalism and advertising students.

Kaplan’s topic changes every year, Slater added. Last year’s topic was about President Obama’s first 100 days in office.

“In general, his topic is always how to better prepare the students for what the real world will be like,” she said. “He’s living it everyday, and he sees all the changes that are happening in his industry.” Read entire article...

Jan Slater MS '92 ADV, head of the Department of Advertising, will take the reins of the Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication as its new president for the 2010-11 term. She will begin her term during the annual AEJMC convention in Denver in August. Previously, she served on the organization's board of directors and as the chair of the Council of Divisions.

College faculty and staff honored with campus awards

3/31/2010

The College of Media is proud to announce that three members of its faculty and staff were recognized with prestigious campus awards for their outstanding performance and excellence on the job and in the classroom. This is a wonderful recognition of their dedicated service to the College of Media and stellar careers at the University of Illinois. Honorees will be recognized at the annual College of Media Honors Reception in April.

Advertising students win the American Advertising Federation's Most Promising Minority Students program

3/4/2010

The Department of Advertising would like to congratulate its outstanding students who were selected for the American Advertising Federation's 2010 Most Promising Minority Students Program.

Jessica Jones

Diana Maes

Nicole Mitchell

Deanna Morena

Ashley Newman

Cynthia Panganiban

Amanda Villareal

AAF's Most Promising Minority Students Program acknowledges those minority students who are deemed exceptional by their college professors and advisers. The program began in 1997 in response to the advertising industry's concerns regarding identifying top minority talent for entry-level positions. The students traveled with Steve Hall, the Advertising Department's AAF faculty adviser, to New York for the opportunity to network, interview, and visit some of the top ad agencies in the nation.

The Super Bowl of advertising is behind us and the Olympics of advertising and brand promotion have begun. The Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, skate into view Feb. 12-28. Advertising professor Michael Giardina once worked in professional sports, and has focused on the intersection of sports, culture and advertising in his research, including in his book "Sporting Pedagogies: Performing Culture & Identity in the Global Arena." He was interviewed by News Bureau social sciences editor Craig Chamberlain. Read entire interview...

Michelle Nelson, associate professor of advertising, talks about her experiences in partnership with WILL teaching youth how to make public service announcements about Kickapoo State Park. "Kickin' it at Kickapoo" is a Youth Media Project spearheaded by Illinois Public Media (WILL am.fm.tv.online) in 2009 with support from the Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Prairie Rivers Network, the Danville Public Library, the Boys and Girls Club of Danville and Keep Vermilion County Beautiful.

Michelle Nelson, associate professor of advertising, and Anna Westerstahl Stenport , assistant professor of Germanic languages and literatures and media and cinema studies, are recipients of a grant through the Norden-SNU Nordic Council project, a program that sponsors public diplomacy and outreach activities about the Nordic region. The grant will be used to bring Scandinavian guest speakers to campus in 2010-2011. Nelson is hoping to host a speaker related to IKEA to talk about advertising for the Scandinavian home furnishing products brand.

Bruce Miller '90 MS ADV has been selected as a 2010 University of Illinois Alumni Association Constituent Leadership Award recipient, recognizing his hard work, exceptional loyalty, commitment, and service to the College of Media. This award is presented to an alumnus/a who demonstrates extraordinary leadership and/or special efforts in the organization, management, and support of a Constituent Alumni Association within the College of Media.

Miller has served on the College of Media Alumni Association since 1996 in various leadership positions, including as President of the Media Alumni Association Board, where he advanced the Board and its mission through a range of achievements. He staffed the Board by recruiting more active members that equally represented the three disciplines of the College and created new committees resulting in stronger programs and increased alumni engagement

Miller served as chairman of Advertising Career Night from 1996-2000, greatly enhancing the event through better marketing and a new format that better connects students with alumni. At the campus level, he has advised the Chancellor's Office and the UI Branding Committee on marketing and branding strategies.

Congratulations, Bruce!

Advertising young alumna brings local creatives together for Pecha Kucha Night in Champaign-Urbana

1/22/2010

Madelin Woods '09 ADV, co-founder of the Champaign-Urbana Design Organization, is once again part of a team hosting a local Pecha Kucha Night in Champaign, on January 30. Pecha Kucha (pronounced "pe-chak-cha") is an international phenomenon that brings creatives together for an evening of quick-fire “show and tell”-type presentations, networking, and fun. The Pecha Kucha format—20 slides for 20 seconds each—allows 8-16 presenters only 6 minutes and 40 seconds to present. Woods and CUDO are excited about this second local Pecha Kucha evening. The first was held in September 2009.

"Being able to influence the entire community in a positive and inspiring way is extremely rewarding, and it's fun to meet a lot of extremely diverse and interesting people," she said. "We really just want people from the community to get involved and have fun with this event." More information...

Ronald Bess '69 BUS/'72 MS ADV has been named one of three Chicago Illini of the Year by the UI Alumni Association and the Chicago Illini Club. Created in 1997, the award recognizes the accomplishments of Chicago-area graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Bess has been described as the "total package." His nearly four decades in the advertising world have been marked by a reputation of dramatically turning companies around and attracting clients the likes of McDonald's, Anheuser-Bush, and Kraft. He has been a driving force in the Chicago advertising community for more than 25 years. As president and CEO of Euro RSCG, he manages the Chicago office and the company's North American operations, and in the five short years Bess has been with there, he has molded it into one of the best performing in the Euro RSCG network. Read more...

Advertising professor Michelle Nelson named to editorial review board for Journal of Advertising

11/20/2009

Michelle Nelson, associate professor of advertising, has been nominated to be on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Advertising, the premier journal devoted to the development of advertising theory and its relationship to practice. Nelson will be assisting in the review process, where she will review about six to eight articles a year. The Review Board is mainly comprised of professors from all the top institutions throughout the nation. "This is recognition that the advertising program at U of I is highly regarded," Nelson said. "We're a small but smart and productive group of faculty focused on the advertising field."

"It's a great opportunity to read cutting edge research straight away, know what is happening in the field as it's happening and have a chance to actually help shape the field," Nelson said. While Nelson has published three articles in the journal, she has also worked as a guest reviewer. "It's nice to be recognized for my scholarly contributions to the field," Nelson said. Read her MediaMinds profile...

50 years and counting: 2009 Sandage Symposium on advertising education reveres the past, looks to the future

11/6/2009

The Department of Advertising commemorated 50 years of quality advertising education while honoring its founder, Charles H. Sandage, at the 2009 Sandage Symposium. The symposium took place September 24-25 at the iHotel and Conference Center in Champaign. Read more and view photos from the event...

College of Media students get involved in the community with the 2009 iHelp volunteer program

Trente Blonski '11 ADV, a College of Media Student Ambassador and a Student Alumni Ambassador for the University of Illinois Alumni Association, organized this year's iHelp volunteer project held on October 2 during Homecoming Weekend. The one-day volunteer project sent more than 1,000 University of Illinois students into the community to help with a wide variety of tasks. This day of service not only offers assistance in large numbers, but also provides an outlet for University students looking to continue their volunteer activities while on campus. UI-7 intern Kayla Flam '12 MEDIA STUDIES followed one group on its volunteering efforts:

Students interested in ethnic food marketing strategies in Italy may have a chance to study abroad next summer in Rome. The Department of Advertising will offer ADV 400 "Advertising Italian Style: Global Studies in Italian Food, Culture, and Strategic Communications" as a two-part course in Spring 2010.

For the first part of the course, students take a three-credit-hour online course from the Urbana campus. The online course will include lectures, video tours, guest lectures, and interactive sessions during which students will enhance their skills in new media and will learn to prepare and deliver presentations, collaborate and solve problems using various online platforms.

The second phase of the course will take students to Rome, Italy, to study and experience Italian food culture firsthand. In addition to lectures and trips to local street markets, tratorias, enotecas, gelaterias, supermarkets, and media and advertising agencies in Rome. Several field trips are planned to introduce students to how food is grown and prepared in the Italian countryside. Assignments will include working individually and in teams to develop a multi-media presentation on Italian food industries.

The course application deadline is November 9, 2009. Interested students may attend upcoming information sessions, October 12, 2009, 5-6 p.m., or October 20, 2009, 4-5 p.m., both in 213 Gregory Hall. More information...

AdWeek 2009 introduces students to stars in field of Advertising

9/21/2009

Illinois Advertising Week 2009 kicked off with a talk by Bob Lachky '75/'77 MS ADV, former Chief Creative Officer with Anheuser-Busch. The man responsible for "Wassup?," the Budweiser frogs, and some of the most successful Super Bowl advertisements of all time, gave students tips on advancing their careers and getting the most out of their education. AdWeek continues with a celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the Department of Advertising, September 22. More about AdWeek...

Advertising Professor Jan Slater talks about North Korean television ads and branding with PRI's The World

9/11/2009by Will Kruisbrink '09 JOURN writer by Will Kruisbrink '09 JOURN by by Will Kruisbrink '09 JOURN published by by Will Kruisbrink '09 JOURN

The College of Media welcomes Martin Waiguny as a guest researcher in the Department of Advertising. A noted scholar in his own right, Waiguny works in the new field of advertising called “Advergaming,” and has authored and co-authored several articles on the topic. Read more about his research...

Trente Blonski '11 ADV, a College of Media Student Ambassador and a Student Alumni Ambassador for the University of Illinois Alumni Association, is spearheading the new Alumni Association's iHelp volunteer project, to be held on October 2. IHelp is a a one-day volunteer project in which more than 1,000 University of Illinois students assist with a wide variety of tasks throughout the community. This year, iHelp promises to be bigger and more productive than ever. To get involved and volunteer this year, visit the iHelp project online.

Kickin' it at Kickapoo culminates with outdoor screening of youth-produced public service announcements

9/3/2009

Students from the Boys and Girls Club of Danville showed-off their homemade video public service announcements about Kickapoo Park at a special outdoor screening at the Danville Public Library on September 1. The celebration capped off "Kickin' it at Kickapoo," a six-month project with the Boys and Girls Club of Danville, spearheaded by Illinois Public Media, and sponsored by Kickapoo State Park, Prairie Rivers Network, Keep Vermilion County Beautiful, Danville Public Library, Kickapoo Landing, and the Department of Advertising.

Danville Public Library Director, Barb Nolan, had this to say after the event: “What a tremendous night it was at the library yesterday for our Kickapoo project celebration! It was so exciting to see the results of everyone’s hard work and the partners’ passion to share their knowledge with young people – and to see how creative the teens were with their projects!”

Kickin’ It at Kickapoo was inspired by the upcoming series, “National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” The kids’ PSAs (re-edited by Henry Radcliffe who shot video on the high def camera following the kids’ scripts) will air on WILL-TV during breaks in The National Parks. To see the student’s shot-and-edited PSAs, please visit the Youth Media Workshop Web site, and feel free to leave a comment!

Department of Advertising's Sandage Symposium speakers named

8/31/2009

The 2009 Sandage Symposium is shaping up to be a heavy hitter in the discussion of advertising education. Speakers have been named and will include:

Amy Gajda, assistant professor in both the UI College of Law and the College of Media

Lyle Orwig, 1999's "National Agricultural Communicator of the Year" for National Agri-Marketing Association

Dr. Nora J. Rifon, professor in the Department of Advertising, Public Relations, and Retailing at Michigan State University

Wally Snyder, lawyer and advertising industry expert who has appeared on CNBC, CNN, Fox News, National Public Radio and NBC

The Sandage Symposium is held in honor of Charles H. Sandage, the father of advertising education and the founder of the Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois. The symposium provides a forum for ongoing dialogue between professors and professionals regarding the current issues facing the advertising industry as well as advertising education. Nationally recognized scholars, educators and professionals are drawn to the University of Illinois campus in celebration of Charles H. Sandage's influence on the field and the study of advertising. Sponsored by the Department of Advertising. Register online today

Advertising professor, Jason Chambers, named Assistant Dean in College of Media

8/28/2009

Associate Professor Jason Chambers has been named an Assistant Dean in the College of Media. Chambers will represent the College on numerous University committees and initiatives and will coordinate specific projects across units as assigned that require special administrative attention.

As a nationally and internationally recognized scholar on the history of advertising and the African American consumer market, Chamber's work has been published in books and academic and trade journals in the U.S., Asia and Europe. He has been invited to speak to gatherings of practitioners and academics throughout the U.S., Canada and Asia. He has appeared on The History Channel discussing advertising issues and has served as a consultant on advertising history programs appearing on the BBC. He is often quoted in popular publications, including Advertising Age, Adweek, Forbes, Black Enterprise, The New York Times, National Public Radio and Newsweek.

Chambers has served as the head of the Advertising Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC). He has consulted with national non-profit organizations, Fortune 100 companies and advertising agencies on matters of diversity, stereotyping and various consumer issues. The University of Pennsylvania Press published his highly praised book, "Madison Avenue and the Color Line: African Americans in the Advertising Industry," in 2008.

Advertising Week to give students hands-on experience with agency professionals, September 21-24

8/27/2009

This fall the department of Advertising will be celebrating the 3rd annual Illinois Advertising Week. The week will be filled with events including the kickoff for the 50th anniversary for the department. Events will be held September 21st-24th beginning at 4:30 pm every evening in 100 Gregory Hall.

Department of Advertising to host 2009 Sandage Symposium on campus, September 25-26

8/3/2009

The Sandage Symposium is held in honor of Charles H. Sandage, the father of advertising education and the founder of the Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois. First held in 1972, the Symposium was set to honor Sandage’s retirement as professor and head of the department. This gathering brought the leaders of advertising thought from the profession and the academy together, formalizing his belief that advertising educators and advertising professionals needed more interaction. Since that time, the Symposium has reflected Sandage’s intentions of providing a forum for ongoing dialogue between professors and professionals regarding the current issues facing the advertising industry as well as advertising education. Established initially by a gift from the Sandage Charitable Trust, this conference-type event is sponsored by the Department of Advertising. Nationally recognized scholars, educators and professionals are drawn to the University of Illinois campus in celebration of Charles H. Sandage’s influence on the field and the study of advertising. Register online today.

For the second year running, the Department of Advertising was invited to participate in Italian Style 2009 at Navy Pier in Chicago on July 18th. Hosted by the Italian American Chamber of Commerce, Italian Style 2009 showcases Italian business, technology, culture, fashion, food, and art. Thanks to the success of an international advertising course and a strong partnership with the Gustolab in Rome, six Advertising students who traveled to Rome this summer as part of the course "Global Studies in Culture, Tourism and Consumer Communication: Branding Italian Cuisine," shared their perspectives, insights, and stories about how this unique course allowed them to go beyond being a typical tourist and immerse themselves in the local food, culture, and people of Italy.

The student presentation was part of a panel discussion that included Dr. Jan Slater, advertising department head, and Pier Alberto Merli and Fabio Parasecoli from the Gustolab.

Excerpt from the presentation by Eddie Revis '11 ADV: "Not only were we given the chance to live like the Italians, we were challenged in our academic field to produce a multicultural perspective on consumers and relationships. As advertising students living abroad in a country like Italy, we immersed ourselves in the culture that surrounded us. We lived independently in a new environment. We cooked, shopped, mingled, and explored with the excitement of being in such a remarkable place. However, we were also challenged. As students with a goal, we had to be a local -- not be a tourist. We did not sight-see; we discovered. We did not travel; we explored. We did not vacation; we studied. Advertising was our compass and Italy was our map. We followed the patterns, behaviors, and culture throughout Rome and beyond. Our studies took us to the southern region of Cilento and we discovered Florence to the north.

"We traveled and we learned. We studied how those living in Cilento prepare a meal verses those who inhabit Rome. How a meal in a Florence restaurant differs from that in Cilento. And, most importantly, how food is ritualized, accepted, and shared in Italy in relation to the US. We had many goals while we stayed in Italy. Find the best pizza, caffe, cheese, and gelato. Meet the locals. Find similarities between Italy and the US. However, one goal became the priority. Advertising is all about studying relationships.

"Forming a triangle in our mind with our Italian experience in the center, we found Culture, Meaning, and Relationships to be the key points of similarity between our studies in Italy and in our Advertising academics."

The department wishes to thank the students who participated -- Eddie Revis '11 ADV, Amanda Spizzirri '11 JOURN, Kelly Leahy '10 ADV, Christine Parks '10 ADV, Kelly Necastro '10 MEDIA STUDIES, and Meghan Clinnin '11 ADV -- who took the time to put this together during the summer. Further thanks go to our partners at the Gustolab who included us in this event, as well as making our Rome experience incredible. Read more about the students' experiences on their "Branding Italian Cuisine" blog.

Kyle Welter '09 ADV on the red carpet at the Cannes edition of Advertising Age.

Last summer, I found myself ogling the Cannes edition of Advertising Age. Soon, I began researching the festival and found myself starting to write essays for the Roger Hatchuel Academy application. Twelve months and a few conversations later, I would be traveling to France to collaborate and learn from some of the most brilliant minds in the advertising industry.

Every year, thousands of people congregate in Cannes to compete, network and learn from the finest creative minds in the world. Most of the attendees are successful agency executives and creatives, but luckily, there are always a few spots for students. The Roger Hatchuel Academy was founded six years ago to bring young minds from all corners of the globe together and immerse them in a dream week of cultural learning, panel discussions and a creative atmosphere more inspiring than anything I had ever experienced. The selection committee chose 34 students from 29 countries ranging from Nigeria to Italy for the academy and luckily, I was one of two Americans to go.

Among the speakers were Eric Schmidt the CEO of Google, Biz Stone the Co-founder of Twitter, Maurice Levy the Chairman of Publicis Worldwide, Steve Ballmer the CEO of Microsoft, former head of the UN Kofi Annan, Director and Spike DDB Founder Spike Lee and the global creative director of about every ad agency in existence.

Kyle Welter '09 ADV participates in a panel at the Cannes Lion International Advertising Festival.

Among hundreds of discussions, a few highlights of the week include the way Biz Stone talked about Twitter's monetization plan, David Plouffe on how his social media-centric campaign helped Obama win the presidential election, Neil French presented his mock-campaign for XO beer (look it up, it is amazing) and Khai Meng Tham, the Worldwide Creative Director for Ogilvy & Mather introduced the "Hopenhagen" campaign for the UN summit in December of this year.

If it weren't for the Department of Advertising, this experience would not have happened. Not only was it a valuable professional experience, it was an unbelievable cultural immersion every adverting student could benefit from. The all-too-often criticized week is much deeper and full of inspiring talent than Bob Garfield (who writes the "Ad Review" TV-commercial criticism feature in Advertising Age) would ever give it credit for. The Academy occurs every summer, and I hope another U of I Advertising student will attend next year. Read more at www.canneslions.com or my site www.thecanneslion.squarespace.com.

-- Kyle Welter '09 ADV, currently interning at BBDO Energy

Advertising student contributes to faculty research on African-American males in advertising

7/15/2009

Dora Ulysse '11 ADV, a McNair Scholar, is working with Patrick Vargas, associate professor of advertising, this summer on a project examining contemporary portrayals of African-American males in magazine advertising.

AAF students earn I-Serve award for community outreach efforts

6/29/2009

AAF students at Ronald McDonald House by the Children's Memorial Hospital in Lincoln Park.

The UI student group of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) won a 2009 Spring Service Award from the University of Illinois I-Serve organization for its community outreach efforts this past year. With the tremendous effort that the chapter put forth this year, they were one of the top organizations on campus in service work hours, totaling more than 400 hours! In addition the AAF's Executive Vice President of Community Outreach, Lindsay Cox '09 ADV, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the I-Serve organization, an award given to only 22 students this semester across the University. The group's biggest event was a new idea presented to the executive board by the Vice President of the AAF Illinois chapter, Lauren Knazer '09 ADV. The event benefitted the Make-A-Wish Foundation Illinois Chapter. Students set up around campus and local County Markets with small children's pools, which served as "wishing wells" for contributors to through in their loose change. In three days, they raised more than $1,300 to donate to the foundation.

ICR and Advertising host Fifth International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry

6/3/2009

The College of Media, the International Center for Qualitative Inquiry, the Institute of Communications Research, and the Department of Advertising hosted the Fifth International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry. More than 1,300 persons, from more than 75 nations registered for the Congress. There were 29 pre-conference workshops. More than 1,000 papers were presented in over 250 sessions. Three all-day pre-Congress sessions -- A Day in Spanish and Portuguese, A Day in Turkish, and A Day in Qualitative Inquiry in Healthcare -- were held on May 20. The Congress also hosted the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction (SSSI). Plans are underway for ICQI 2010.